Mags: Teen Vogue's (limited) career choices

Like Josie from Looking for Alibrandi, I felt a bit like a misfit at private school (my dad didn't own a Jaguar; I was there thanks to a trust fund – cue teen social angst), so it was with some trepidation that I attended my 10-year reunion recently. While some of our year (class of '98) are in London or Hong Kong working for banks, or finding themselves on treks through South America and extended sojourns in Italy, the 60-odd girls who attended the event represent quite the spectrum of post-high-school choices. Some are married (very few, actually), others engaged, one or two have children; some are home owners, some still live at home... The pretty girls are still pretty; the sporty girls still sporty; and the quirky girls still quirky – only their personalities are amplified, complemented by their personal style (Catholic school uniforms are universally unflattering) and everyone has grown into their looks.

In terms of career, there were lawyers, nurses, physiotherapists, actresses, marketing gurus, bankers, interior designers, town planners, youth workers and bio-chemists (oh, and a blogger-come-journo). I think I spoke to maybe two girls who chose to pursue careers in fashion. Which brings me (finally - woo!) to the November issue of Teen Vogue: the future fashionista's 'bible'.

Thanks to the likes of Lauren Conrad (and The Hills), the Olsen twins, Project Runway, Next Top Model, Stylista, The Rachel Zoe Project, The Devil Wears Prada and every celebrity or It girl with a vested interest in selling clothing to the public, 'fashion' – and its manifest industry job options: designer, editor, PR, stylist, model, makeup artist, store owner, society girl – has become the female career choice dujour. Even acting, music and philanthropy has its sartorial appeal.

This fashion fascination is aided by girl's and women's magazines who dedicate their pages to the glamorous lives, style and bodies of those women inside the 'fashion bubble'. Which makes for a sort of warped world view. While I'm sure school careers counsellors do their best to advise girls on the multiple career options available to them, magazines generally only legitimise the prettier professions. No mentions ever, of course, about how hard it is to get a foot in the door or make a decent enough amount of money to feed back into your wardrobe so you can keep up with the flash fash pack... or the pressure you'll feel to stay thin and wrinkle free. Or the exhausting event schedule you'll have to maintain. It's all glossy, glossy, glossy!

Sure, most women have an inherent interest in fashion (including those lawyers/doctors/CEOs/self-made success stories who can actually afford to buy the things featured in the high-end glossies – there's nary ever a mention of how much money you can make in fashion), but their lives do not revolve around it. Fashion is a serious, multi-billion-dollar global business, and helps to fill the advertising coffers, but are magazines like Teen Vogue (albeit a fashion magazine) doing girls an injustice by limiting their careers coverage to the sartorial, arguably superficial, few?

The cover... Celebrated for her "effortlessly cool" look, Rachel Bilson is the ultimate Teen Vogue girl (right up there with Natalie Portman and Camilla Belle). I wouldn't call her style unique, but she does resonate with young women in her ability to work the trends to petite perfection. She clearly loves to shop (she has "enough sunglasses to outfit a small army" in her SUV), though it's nice (maybe unsettling) to note she's worn the same pair of wide-leg Levi's since she was 13. Bilson can "tell a Zac Posen from an Alexander Wang from a Brian Reyes", has her own like for DKNY jeans (Edie Rose, as we know), and, like Kate Moss, who used her collection of vintage to inspire her Topshop line, likes to "throw things together on a whim".

The ed. says... "The idea for our annual Fashion at Work issue came directly from our single-minded readers, who are always asking us how to break into the business, how to score an internship, and what to study in college... Our latest project, due out this time next year, is The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in the Fashion Industry – a look at every job from photographer and art director to stylist and designer, and more."

The story line-up:

• The first serious story this issue, 'Learning Curve, is about the dangers of campus college visits (namely, drinking, drug use and sexual activity or abuse). Apparently such overnight visits are a part of the application process but peer pressure can lead to unexpected events for prospective students. There are tips for ensuring your visit is a positive one.
  

• In 'Working Girls', we meet a fashion designer (Minnie Mortimer), Me magazine editor Claudia Wu and art director Casey Fremont, who each talk about how their careers have evolved and, importantly, what they wear to work. Quite a diverse threesome working within the fash-sphere.
  

• The 'Personal Style' page is given to snowboarder Torah Bright, a "self-proclaimed girly girl" who has created a "new line of gear" for Roxy, which ties in nicely with the 'Cold Mountain' fashion shoot later in the book... and the two-page, front-of-book Roxy advert.

• 'People Are Talking About' the theatre: the boys from Billy Elliot, the cast of musical 13, Daniel Radcliffe in Equus and Carey Mulligan in The Seagull. Teen Vogue's also talking about the Olsen's book, Influence.
  

• Beauty & Health opens with British actress Gemma Arterton, 22, who stars in the new Bond film and is a former makeup salesgirl (there's your beauty hook!) who "confesses to loving the artistic aspect of color cosmetics, though she personally prefers a subtle look." A page on, Beauty Blogger Eva Chen talks up Emanuel Ungaro's collaboration with M.A.C (has anyone not collaborated with M.A.C?)

• The 11-page Fashion at Work section includes the interview with Rachel Bilson, as well as profiles of Alexander Wang, Korean model Hyoni Kang (winner of this year's Ford Supermodel of the World contest), celebrity stylist Tara Swennen (who says, "A lot of stylists joke that we're 'on call', which is crazy. We're not doctors!") and makeup artist Gucci Westman (global artistic director for Revlon... formerly of Lancome).
  

• High School Musical cutie Corbin Bleu scores two pages.

• 'Power Outage' is the issue's token health-scare story. This time, it's sugary energy drinks that come under Teen Vogue's microscope – apparently people who drink them are "more likely to engage in seriously risky behaviours, included unprotected sex and substance abuse". Are they serious? Not exactly: "While drinking them does not actually cause people to take part in these dangerous acts, researchers say avid energy drink fans are more likely to put their safety in jeopardy." Glad we got that cleared up. Laden with caffeine, it's a no brainer that over-consumption of such drinks isn't any good for your health (everything in moderation). But, ever the weight watchers, TV is also keen to remind readers of all the unnecessary calories consuming such drinks pack on: "they're often loaded with sugar, which hikes up the calorie count".

• The feel-good story of the month is 'Fresh Start', a four-page report about a New Orleans school with an organic garden ('The Edible Schoolyard'), which is part of a program that uses gardening and cooking lessons to "help students sharpen their skills", as well as open them up to the possibilities of good food (one student now knows what an eggplant looks like; others have stopped eating junk). Apparently after a year in the program, students have less behavioural and emotional problems and higher grades. Proving that nature and nurture work together. What a great initiative.

The superficial:

• This month's lineup of people to watch includes Natalie Portman, Selena Gomez, Keira Knightley, Leighton Meester, Emmy Rossum, Nastia Liukin, Nick Jonas, Camilla Belle, Daisy Lowe, Ashley Olsen, Agyness Deyn, Rihanna, Amanda Seyfried (the 'Girl of the Moment') and Weeds' Hunter Parrish ('You've Got Male').
  

• Style Blogger Andrew Bevan talks to Erin Wasson who says of her line for skate brand RVCA: "It's the anti-Gossip Girl collection! There is nothing overtly girly about it. I wanted to stay true to who I am and do streetwear that incorporated surfing and skating in a way that hasn't been linked to fashion before." Her advice: "It's important not to conform to what you think other people want you to be."
  

• Kisten Dunst shows us how to wear flares (get yours from Dollhouse, American Rag, O'Neill, PRVCY Premium, Guess or True Religion).
  

• 'Gender Bender' is the first main fashion shoot, which pairs pretty dresses with structured jackets, tomboy shoes and playful purses. The cherub-faced blonde model is sporting some serious braids (hello, hair-headache!) and glowy-shiny skin. Each shot is complemented by a catwalk picture of some skinny, drawn-out looking model in designer garb. Healthy-cheeked youth versus emaciated catwalk model... interesting juxtaposition.

• 'Dream Weavers' brings us "punky-pretty layers of romantic skirts, second-skin tees, star-bright glitz and high-drama extras". Five models (two boys, three girls) frolick about in the kind of mismatched ensembles you can only get away with in your teens... unless you're Helena Bonham Carter. American Eagle Outfitters, ACP, Moschino, Hogan by Thakoon, Tao Comme des Garcons, Marc Jacobs, Yohji Yamamoto, Karen Walker Topshop and Edun all have their pricey wares featured.
  

• Shot on location, 'Miss Manor' incorporates "traditional tartans, posh jewels and ladylike scarves"... and some serious blue eyeliner. It's cute.

The score
Overall excitement factor: 6
Feel-good factor: 5
Eye-candy rating: 4

The stats
Issue: November 2008
Book size: 164 pages
FOB ads: Harajuku Lovers, Pacsun, Maybelline New York, Vans, Marc by Marc Jaccobs, Gucci by Gucci, Roxy...
Editor: Amy Astley
Publisher: Conde Nast
Website: www.teenvogue.com

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel